as in decorative
serving to add beauty
the trim on Victorian houses is sometimes elaborately ornamental
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ornament
a small object displayed for its attractiveness or interest
a collection of fragile ornamentals kept in a glass cabinet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ornamental
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
Leaning into the equestrian aesthetic of it all, the 28-year-old accessorized with a pair of black leather knee-high boots with ornamental straps and a skinny black leather belt with gold hardware.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
Prune ornamental grasses to within a foot or two of the ground before growth begins.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ornamental
Adjective
These raised garden beds with ornamental grass looks serene and tranquil in this mini backyard courtyard.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
Leaning into the equestrian aesthetic of it all, the 28-year-old accessorized with a pair of black leather knee-high boots with ornamental straps and a skinny black leather belt with gold hardware.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
The beds are planted with a mix of edibles and ornamentals that can be enjoyed from the sitting area.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
Prune ornamental grasses to within a foot or two of the ground before growth begins.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ornamental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ornamental
Adjective
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Projects are moving away from decorative finishes toward natural materials—wood, stone, and layered surfaces that hold up over time.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
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Always a quick study, Chamberlain has followed up that initial foray with a collection of furniture and decorative accessories for West Elm.—
Mayer Rus,
Architectural Digest,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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What remains in a lot of these tracks, then, are dazzling little ornaments.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
24 Mar. 2026
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The store’s display of wooden German pieces, for example, are reproductions of a line of German ornaments from the late 1920s.—
Emily M. Olson,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Will the novelty of an MLB franchise hosting home games in California’s capital for the first time fade in the A’s second season, wearing out like the pitcher’s mound in the eighth inning?—
Michael McGough,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
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Presumably this is because, in its implementations by other architects, formal novelty arrived wrapped in easy metaphor.—
Julian Rose,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Sounds like the best trip souvenir ever.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
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Afternoon Ben Thanh Market is Hồ Chí Minh’s biggest market – a vast maze of 1,500 stalls selling everything from still-twitching fish to electronics and souvenirs.—
Tamara Hinson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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One plastic sandwich bag full of random baubles could bring in more than $20,000 once the gold was refined.—
Alex Morris,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2026
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With its carat count, royal connections, and age, the Prince of Wales feathers brooch is a cut above many of the baubles in Queen Camilla’s impressive collection.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This small acrylic container is a great way to draw the eyes of your guests to a small knickknack of your choosing.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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Whether antiques, cherished knickknacks, or heirlooms, items that are very delicate and/or precious to the customer are typically items house cleaners won’t want to mess with in order to cut down the risk of damaging them.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Scattered through the book is a catalog of trinkets collected by Helm, wending through eight storylines exploring the effect of matter around us, and our effect on matter.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
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Toward that feel, the cozy space will also include trinkets, a big TV and more.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ornamental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ornamental. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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